Registering-meter for electric currents



(No Model.)

J. D. BISHOP.

REGISTERING METER EoR ELECTRIC GURRENTS. No. 389,870. I Patented Sept.25, 1888.

N. PETERS. phmum nwr. Walhinglam o c be either above or below the UNITEDSTATES PATENT )rrrcn.

JAMES D. BISHOP, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

REGISTERING-METER FOR ELECTRIC CURRENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389.870, datedSeptember 25, 1888.

Application filed December J l, 1887. Serial No. 258,027. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,'JAMEs D. BIsI-ior, of San Francisco, San Franciscocounty, State of California, have invented a Registering-Meter forElectric Currents; and I hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to a registering-meter for electric currents.

It consists of indicating dials with suitable gearing by which they areactuated, an adj ustablepawl-and-ratehet mechanism by which themovements of the indicating-dials are regulated, and an oscillating armor pendulum actuated by the passing current, together with a mechanismby which the movement of the ratchet-wheel is increased or diminished inproportion to the current which is passing.

Referring to the accompanying drawing for a more complete explanation ofmyinvention, the figure is a front elevation showing the arrangement ofmy meter.

A is a pendulum, the weight of which may point of suspension P.

E is an armature, which is fixed to the pendulum-rod at'a point eitherabove or below the point of suspension and in such a position as to beattracted alternately by the electro-magnets 0 O, which in the presentcase I. have shown as standing horizontally upon each side of thearmature, and at such a distance therefrom that when the current passesthrough either one or the other the magnet will attract the armature andcause the pendulum to swing to one side. Above the point of suspension,as at present shown, are contact-points O O, which in the present caseare shown in the form of plungers, and the corresponding point or points0 of the pendulum rod will be brought into contact with these plungcrsalternately as the pendulum swings from side to side, so as to make andbreak electrical contact alternately. These plungers are held bysprings, so that when the pendulum is exactly vertical both points wouldbe in contact with the point 0 upon the pendulum-rod, one upon eachside; but as neither of these plungers can move beyond a certain pointwhen the pendulum is moved a little to one side or the other it willbreak the opposite contact, thus leaving the magnet O, which is inconnection with that contact, in the circuit and short-circuiting theeleetro-magnet 0' through the pendulunrrod, the opposite plunger, andthe line, which will thus attract the armature E in the direction of O.WVhen the pendulum swings in the opposite direction,it makes contactwith the opposite plunger, simultaneously breaking contact with thefirstone, thus cutting the other electric magnet, 0, out of the circuitand passing the circuit through the opposite electro-magnet, C, so thatthe armature will be attracted in that direction, and an impulse is thusgiven to the pendulum alternately from opposite sides.

M is a solenoid having the core L extending into the hole in its center,this core being drawn into the coil by the increased current and allowedto drop out of it when the current diminishes either by its own weightor the action ofa spring or other suitable mechanism. The lower end ofthe core L is connected by the link D with the oscillating bar Q, whichis "fulcrumed upon the post K.

G is a link or bar pivoted to the opposite endof the oscillating bar Q,and having antifrictional rollers R journaled in its upper end. Thependulum-rod is extended below the fulcrum, as shown atF, and one of theanti frictional rollers R has its periphery in contact with thispendulum-rod,while the other roller is in contact with the lever H,which is fulcrumed upon the center J, about which the ratchet-wheel Sturns. At the upper end of the lever H is a pawl, I, which engages theteeth of the ratchet-wheel S. By the means of a train of gearingarranged in the well-known manner, adapted for driving dials of metersor registering devices, a series of indicating-dials are driven by themovement of the ratchetwheel, so that the current passing through theinstrument is indicated upon these dials.

In order to register the movement of the currentin amperes or otherunits of measurement, and also to register the variations of thecurrent, it will be manifest that when the current becomes strong thecore L will be drawn into the coil M, thus raising the end of the leverQ with which it is connected and depressing the opposite end. Thisdrawsthe anti-frietional rollers R R down so that they are at a greaterdistance from the fulcrum of the pendulumrod, and consequently will begiven a longer impulse or movement by the vibrations of the rod. At thesame time, as they are drawn down they are brought nearer to the fulcrumJ of the lever H, and this again increases the arc of vibration of thelever H, thus carrying the pawl I over a greater distance of theperiphery of the ratchet-wheel S, and causing the latter to move morerapidly. If the current becomes less. the core L is allowed to move outof the coil M either by its own weight or by the action of a spring, asabove stated, and the anti-frictional rollers will move upward betweenthe lever II and the extension F of the pendulumrod,which lie parallelwith each other, sothat contact between them and the rollers will alwaysbe maintained. In moving up, these rollers approach the fulcrum of thependulum, which consequently shortens the distance to which they aremoved by the ac tion of the pendulum, and as they move correspondingl yfarther away from the fulcrum J of the lever II the movement of the pawlI will also be correspondingly shortened.

:ly this device I am enabled to indicate accurately any variation in thecurrent, and also to register the total amount of the current which haspassed over the line within any given time. It will be manifest that thependuluni-weight might be below its point of suspension, and thatvarious modifications and changes may be made in the relative positionand arrangement of the electro-magnets of the mechanism, these operatingwithout materially altering the character or operation of my in venlion.I have preferred to fix t he pendul umweight above the point ofsuspension, so that the rod, which may be made llexible between theweight and point of suspension, would always be inclined to one side,and one of the contacts 0 would be broken and the other air cuit closed,and whenever the current is passed through the apparatus the pendulumwould immediately commence to oscillate, and the operation will continueas long as the current is passing and cease with it. By making thependulumrod flexible above its point of suspension I preventany jar orsudden stoppage at the ends of the beats.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

l. A suspended pendulum having an armature attached to its rod, one ormore clectro magnets acting upon the pendulum, and a mechanism,substantially as described, whereby the magnets are alternatelyshort-circuited by the pendulum, the dial or dials havingindicating-figures marked upon them, and a variable gearing between thependulum and the dials, whereby the oscillations of the pendulum aretransmitted, so as to move the dials and indicate the passing current,substantially as herein described.

2. A suspended pendulum having an armature attached to its rod, andmechanism by which the current is passed through one or moreelectro-magnets, whereby an oscillation of the pendulum is produced, atrain of gearing, and pawl-and-ratchet movement, which is operated bythe movements of the pendulum, and a dial or dials havingindicating-figures, in combination with a solenoid having a movablecore, a lever and a variable gearing connected with said core andoperating between the pendulum and the lever and pawl which drive thedials, so that the movements of the dials are increased with theincrease of the current and decreased with decrease of the current,substantially as described.

3. A suspendedpendulumhaving an armature fixed to its rod, an electromagnet or magnets which act upon this armature, and a commutator whichis operated by the vibrations of the pendulum, so as to transfer apassing electric cu rrcnt, whereby the oscillation of the pendulum isproduced. an indicating dial or dials with a train of gearing, apawl-andratchet mechanism by which the gearing is moved, a pawl-lever,H, parallel with the pendulumrod extension F, and a rod, G, with theanti-frictional rollers or slides lying between the lever andpendulum-rod, forming a contact with the two, whereby the movements ofthe pendulum-rod are transmitted to actuate the pawl-lever,substantially as herein described.

4-. A pendulum-rod with its operating electro magnet or magnets andcommutator, the pawl-earrying lever lying parallel with the pendulum-rodextension, and the antifrictional rollers or slideslying between thelever and the pendalum-extension, forming a contact with the two, incombination with the electromagnetic coil or solenoid, the oscillatinglever, from which the anti-frictional rollers are supported, and a coreconnected with the opposite end of said lever and extending into saidelectroanagnetic coil or solenoid through which the current to bemeasured passes, said current drawing the core into the coil as itincreases and allowing it to fall out as it decreases, substantially asherein described.

5. In combination with the alternately-acting clectro magnet or magnets,a pendulum the rod of which is made flexible between the weight and thepoint of suspension, an armature upon which the magnets act to cause thependulum to swing from side to side, and a commutator operated by theswinging pendulum.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

J. l). BISHOP.

Vitnesses:

S. H. Nouusn, H. 0. LEE.

